2013 Tour de France, Stage 15: Givors - Mont Ventoux 242.5 Km

[xrayvision]

Porte will be crucial for Froome tonight, if he's off then Froome will be slaughtered.

Froome will just attack at the bottom, game over.

 

[xrayvision]

I hear alot about extreme heat in the finish on Ventoux..

What can this mean for the race? and whome may benefit from the heat?

Both Froome an Quintana are born below the equator so will they benefit the most?

yep.

If it´s true a lot will get in trouble, extreme heat isn´t Albertos cup of tea either.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Saxo will (should) make sure the break doesn't stay away.

why would saxo care for that

 

[TourOfSardinia]

Cultural Aside:

The Italian poet Petrarch wrote about his ascent of Mont Ventoux on April 26, 1336 in a well-known letter published as one of his Epistolae familiares (IV, 1)

A kind of early reconnaissance for later this afternoon:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascent_of_Mont_Ventoux

English version of the text:

http://history.hanover.edu/texts/petrarch/pet17.html

recommended reading while the flat part of the stage doesn't sparkle.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

is sickening to hear Brailsford & Froome bragging about this stage-even with a weakened team,they appear to be so confident on how they're going to dispose the competition like a bad habit........

obvious bluff

 

[spalco]

This might be interesting to see from start to finish, but they don't start tv until 2pm, right?

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

how the hell was quintana protected lol? they all left him alone in that front group and expected for alejandro. nairito was extremely lucky that he didn't have a mechanical in those last 80 kms otherwise game over.

again i don't think they will work for him only if he can guarantee a podium place at least. valverde and some of his lieutenants will just go in the attack

soon after taht the cars got in between. quintana didn't have to drop back and in first weke whenever he crashed his teammates waited for him to bring him back. he never had to do 1 thing to help valverde out. it was clear unzue waited for the mountains to see which of his 2 riders was best.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Well.. uh... ye... not exactly. Quintana never was protected like Valverde, he had same or less protection as Rui Costa, which was very little.

Neither Valverde nor Rui Costa, nor Jose Luiz Arrieta said they were going to ride for Nairo, they only made it clear there is still lots of Tour to come, are going for stage wins and plan to take Valverde back in top10.

Unzue said since the begining they would never place leadership on Nairo because it was his first Tour and he had little experience over 3 weeks, so my bet is he will keep the free role and still help Valverde take a stage, or try it himself.

then wqhy did costa have to drop back and not quintana?

also this:

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=63951

quintana is the leader of movistar. it will be all for him, like it or not

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Movistar's revenge on Europcar will be taking the KOM jersey. Quintana is the most likely and to an extent Valverde.

So once Quintana gets top 3 tonight, he'll be close to wearing that jersey, and will attack on the other mountain stages.

They will aim to put Quintana on the podium with the jersey and leave Europcar with nothing.

they aren;'t going to hurt europcar. valverde made it very clear in interview he was tlaking about hurting belkin guys

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Porte is going to get skinned alive tomorrow (his hematocrit is gone).

The question is when.

oh epic lols at this. delusional people are always hilarious. tell me how you know his hematocrite einstein

 

[Amused]

Estimated time of arrival at the foot of Ventoux?

 

[xrayvision]

Estimated time of arrival at the foot of Ventoux?

16.15 CET

10 fuc king char

 

[Pulpstar]

Estimated time of arrival at the foot of Ventoux?

Eurosport will cut live to the race, and Froomedog will be passing the Simpson memorial.

 

[xrayvision]

oh epic lols at this. delusional people are always hilarious. tell me how you know his hematocrite einstein

Course he doesn´t mean it litteral...einstein.

 

[The Barb]

Gilbert attacking today?!

22 hours late.

 

[Gloin22]

Course he doesn´t mean it litteral...einstein.

How can you know for sure?

 

[sultanofhyd]

How can you know for sure?

Read his subsequent posts.

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

Course he doesn´t mean it litteral...einstein.

well then you really must be einstein to read that out of his comments

 

[Rollthedice]

Are there any links for streaming before Eurosport goes live?

 

[Lance Armstrong]

No streams until 14:00 CET.

"There are riders from Cannondale now launching attacks as Gilbert (BMC) and Westra (VCD) have been caught."

Guess Sagan just cannot help himself. Yesterday he said he tried it 2 times but wasn't successful.

 

[karrotten]

Gilbert attacking today?!

22 hours late.

Don't be silly, Cadel would never allow the WC to do that.

 

[Gubby Allen]

Hesjedal came in even behind the bunch at yesterdays pace. Any chance he is saving something for today? 150/1 for the stage could be tempting.

 

[Frosty]

Tony Martin on the attack Memories of 2009

edit: with Rui Costa (Movistar)

 

[Lance Armstrong]

Tony Martin on the attack Memories of 2009

edit: with Rui Costa (Movistar)

They are going nowhere, not enough French cyclists in the breakaway This is Bastille day.

 

[Miburo]

Katusha is pacing the peloton. I see...

Froome is gonna gift Purito the stage for what his team did friday.